The Knockouts Championship went through tumultuous times being held by NXT superstars Jacy Jayne, Kelani Jordan, and Arianna Grace. NXT had another opportunity to reclaim that title when Wendy Choo challenged Xia Brookside. Times have changed with TNA reigning over NXT.
The title bout went down on Impact (Aug. 6, 2026). Choo looked strong hitting the Snooze Button finisher, but Brookside kicked out on the cover.
It felt like the Knockouts Championship was slipping away from TNA again when Choo trapped Brookside in the Dirt Nap chokehold. Brookside was visibly fading, then she showed a champion’s heart for a last-ditch burst of energy to reach the ropes. In the process, Choo’s throat collided into the top rope. Brookside took advantage to set up a lifting DDT for victory. The Knockouts Championship remains with TNA.
Brookside’s next challenger appears to be Elayna Black. After the win over Choo, Black entered the ring for a staredown to imply a title bout for Lockdown. Backstage, Black doubled down on the tough talk. She wants a piece of Brookside for the Knockouts Championship at the PPV in Chicago.
Black’s babyface turn is lazy storytelling from TNA. So much so that there isn’t even a story for it. The idea is basically that Brookside is more of a heel than Black, so she is the de facto babyface by comparison. That promo above explains how Black learned from her past behavior, but that really hasn’t played out on screen in an effective way to root for her character. She still possess an aura of entitlement, and she never earned this title shot. That said, the match for Lockdown has the makings of crowning the hometown girl as the new champion. Time will tell how it shakes out.
Share your thoughts about Xia Brookside retaining the Knockouts Championship over NXT’s Wendy Choo. Do you think Brookside’s days with the title are numbered in favor of Elayna Black?
